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Church. In that important station | first a trustee, and at the time of he continued till his death, and his decease had been for many was made eminently useful. At years the Senior Fellow. Of the time of his ordination the church Waterville College, Maine, to which consisted of 90 members; the pre- he had been a liberal benefactor, sent number is 450. During Dr. he was a Trustee from its first orBaldwin's ministry, he baptized ganization. Of most of the benemore than 670 persons, who were volent institutions of Boston he the fruits of his labours. He wit-was an active manager, and of not nessed also, two "revivals of re- a few the presiding officer. At ligion" among the people of his the time of his death, he was precharge; one soon after his ordina-sident of the Baptist Board of tion, and another in 1803; on the Managers for Foreign Missions, first of these occasions about 70 and one of the Trustees of the members were added to the church, Columbian College in the District and on the second, 212. of Columbia. He was a member As an author and editor, Dr. B. of the Convention for amending the acquired a high reputation among Constitution of the Commonwealth his countrymen. He commenced of Massachusetts in the year 1821, the publication of the American and in all its deliberations, speciBaptist Magazine in 1803, and ally those which had any bearing retained the engagement of senior upon the subject of religious lieditor till his decease. He also berty, he took an active part, and published several works on Bap-not unfrequently spoke with unusual tism and Communion, and upwards ability. of thirty sermons preached on public occasions.

Whilst thus actively engaged in the arduous labours of a pastor, as the editor of an important periodical work, and as a successful polemical writer, it will of course be supposed that Dr. Baldwin received those marks of public attention, which are usually bestowed upon those who rise to eminence in their profession. He was repeatedly chosen chaplain of the general Court of Massachusetts. In 1802,

Dr. Baldwin died suddenly and from home. He had left Boston to attend the commencement of Waterville College, and arrived at Hallowell on Friday, August 26, 1825. The voyage seemed beneficial to his health, and on the succeeding Sabbath he preached twice in the Baptist meeting-house in that town. His text in the afternoon was, Gal. ii. 20. The life which Inow live, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. In this his last discourse he

he was appointed to deliver bore testimony to the supports, the annual sermon on the day of which during his long life he had the General Election. This ser- derived from the Gospel of Jesus mon was received with great atten- Christ. He declared that his only tion, and two or three editions of hope of pardon and acceptance it were immediately printed. In with God was through the medi1803, he was admitted to the de-ation of a crucified Redeemer. gree of Doctor in Divinity at Union With an emphasis which sensibly College, New York. The degree affected his audience, he adopted of Master of Arts had been some as his own the language of his text, time previously conferred upon him and declared, The life which I live by Brown University, Rhode Is- in the flesh, I live by the faith of land. Of this institution he was the Son of God, who loved me and

gave himself for me. He con-ear, Well done, good and faithful cluded the services with the 71st servant, enter thou into the joy of Psalm of Watts, 3d part, C. M. and thy Lord. read with great feeling the following stanzas:

God of my childhood and my youth,
The guide of all my days,
I have declared thy heavenly truth,
And told thy wondrous ways.
Wilt thou forsake my hoary hairs,

And leave my fainting heart?
Who shall sustain my sinking years,
If God my strength depart?

Let me thy power and truth proclaim
Before the rising age,

And leave a savour of thy name

When I shall quit the stage.
The land of silence and of death

Attends my next remove!
O may these poor remains of breath
Teach the wide world thy love.

His audience felt assured that this was his last testimony to them in favour of the Gospel; but little did they think that he had read or they were singing his requiem, and that the two first lines of the last stanza were so soon to be literally accomplished.

Every token of respect for the memory of the deceased was shown by the Trustees and Faculty of Waterville College. On Wednesday his remains, enclosed in a leaden coffin, were sent to Boston, attended by the Hon. Mark Harris, of Portland, who had been appointed by the Trustees to accompany the afflicted widow with her sad charge to the place of his former residence. They arrived there on Friday, September 2.

On Monday, Sept. 5, a prayer was offered at the house of the deceased, by the Rev. Stephen Gano, of Providence. The other funeral services were attended at the meeting-house of the Second Baptist Church by a thronged and deeply affected congregation. The Rev. Joseph Grafton, of Newton, who offered the concluding prayer at the ordination of the deceased, prayed. The Rev. Mr. Sharp, of On the following day, Aug. 29, Boston, delivered the funeral dis he proceeding to Waterville. He course from Acts xi. 24. He was a seemed better for the ride, and good man. Rev. Mr. Wayland spent the afternoon in walking over closed the services with prayer. the College premises, and examin-The body was then conveyed to ing the condition of the institution. the family tomb, followed by In the evening he officiated at the thousands, who were anxious to domestic altar with peculiar devo- testify their respect for this faithful tion and solemnity, and after bid-and distinguished servant of the ding each individual an affec- Lord Jesus Christ. tionate adieu, retired to rest about We regret that our limits will not nine o'clock. After sleeping ap- allow us to transcribe from the parently well for about an hour, he American Baptist Magazine the seemed to awake, and answered in able and interesting delineation of his usual manner, a question re- Dr. B.'s character which is there specting his health; he then sud-given. We can only express our denly groaned and was no more. sympathy with our transatlantic His usefulness and his life termi- brethren, on account of the great nated together. Spared the pains loss they have sustained, and, our of death and the agonies of sepa- sincere prayer that many such men ration," he was not, for God took may be raised up, in the old world him;" and almost whilst he lis- as well as in the new; to glorify tened to the voice of affection on God, and benefit their fellow creaearth, the plaudit burst upon his tures.

arrow is beyond us: there is a wheel within a wheel. Much of the confusion to which we refer, disappears when objects are more narrowly inspected; as the motions of the planets, which to the ignorant clown appear a maze of perplexity, are to the eye of the astronomer in order, so perfect and so beautiful, as to give birth to the poetic fancy of the music of the spheres.

ON PROVIDENCE. EVERY one who has attended to what passes in his own mind, knows that, though it behoves him to acknowledge God at all times, he is tempted in seasons of ease and prosperity to neglect that duty. But, in times of public calamity or domestic trial, we naturally turn our thoughts to the subject of a Divine Providence. Then we wish to believe what the Scriptures de-"Whoso is wise and will observe clare, that God doeth according to these things, even they shall unhis pleasure in the armies of heaven derstand the kindness of the Lord.” and among the inhabitants of the Both in history and daily observaearth; that the minutest concerns tion, what a multitude of striking are under his inspection -- that the coincidences surprise and instruct hairs of our head are all numbered us! What seasonable and unlooked - and that the death of a sparrow for supply of means! How many is not omitted in Jehovah's plan. steps lead to one purpose! How Doubts on the subject are at such often do circumstances gradually times peculiarly painful. Though prepare the way for an event, the conclusions of unaided reason working unseen and unsuspected; respecting the doctrine of Provi- like the unfolding of the seed dence are not of themselves satis- which is to produce the plant, or factory; yet is it a most reasonable doctrine.

the motion of the sap that ripens
the fruit! How often does that
which appeared to be the frustra-
tion of a purpose, prove the very
means of its production! How
often has the malignant persecutor
defeated himself, diligently wrought
a web, in which he was himself
entangled in such a manner, that
every effort he made to extricate
himself out of it, bound it the more
firmly about him; like him who
wanders in the labyrinth of Moris,
and hastening to make his escape,
is only the more bewildered and
lost, as he passes through galleries,
halls, chambers, and courts, to
which he sees no end!
things are not the work of chance.
Design, plan, regularity, the adap-
tation of means to ends, the sub-
serviency of many things to one,
the meeting of a number of lines in
one point, is altogether unlike the
In most

It is clear that the course of human events cannot be the work of chance. To a careless eye, all things appear to be irregular-seem to follow no rule- to be subject to no fixt principles. Life is like a lottery; every man gets a blank or a prize, just as it may happen. Vice is often prosperous, and virtue unsuccessful. Mere accident elevates one and depresses another. Incongruous elements mingle together in society; persons and circumstances are ill matched, as one might conceive to take place in the natural world, if the present order of things were changed, and the dolphin were floundering in the woods, and the lion panting for breath and half drowned in the sea. But most of these incongruities are apparent, not real. The irregularity arises from our ignorance. The operation of chance. law by which these events are cases the lowest degree of uniforgoverned is undiscovered: the mity is effected by design. The

These

seeds scattered by the winds of that they cannot be regarded in October, spring up in gardens, any other light than as the instrufields, hedges, on the roofs of ments and agents of Providence. houses, the edge of water spouts, Neither is it the work of invisithe tops of walls, in the crevices of ble spirits, good or bad. Many rocks, and the bark of large trees; have endeavoured to account for and in every conceiveable situation. the present appearances of the They never grow up in separate world, by supposing it to be gobeds like the flowers of the gar-verned by benevolent and maligdener. They do not form a circle, nant spirits; and by regarding a triangle, or a figure of eight, or what is good as the work of the any other regular shape; because first, and what is evil as the operaregularity supposes design. In tion of the last. But, while this like manner the innumerable sin-theory would solve some of the gular coincidences observable in difficulties of the case, it would human life, the subordination of not solve them all: and it is unevents to the production of remote ends, cannot be the result of unintelligent chance. Light was not created by darkness, order is not the effect of confusion, harmony does not spring from discord, nor is, what we call Providence the operation of accident.

Neither is it the work of human intelligence and power. Man is the instrument, not the author. He often fails in the purpose which he intends, and accomplishes what he never contemplated. He designs one thing and Providence another; and while he seeks to gratify his ambition or revenge, he subserves the purpose of Jehovah. No human being possesses either sufficient intelligence or sufficient power to conduct the dispensation of time. Those who have effected the greatest changes have frequently attempted what they have found to be impossible-have been utterly defeated by adverse events -and hurried away, as by the stream of a sudden inundation, or like Napoleon, in the route of his army after the battle of Leipsig. The ability of different men is in most instances nearly equal, their number immensely great, their opposition to each other violent and constant, and their continuance on the earth of short duration; so

supported by any evidence. We may state the truth in a few words, and say, in the language of the Liturgy of the English Church; "the Providence of God ruleth over all."

It is obvious, that God alone is qualified for a work so wonderful. The power which created the world seems necessary for its preservation; while the government of intelligent and accountable beings demands

additional attributes. What are the perfections which are necessary for him who is the ruler among the nations? Power which is unlimited, and energy which is ever active; an absolute controul over the hearts of all rational beings, and the instincts of living creatures, and the powers and elements of nature; righteousness which never deviates from the rule of rectitude, and truth which never fails; knowledge which embraces all persons and objects, in their infinite numbers and endless variety; a comprehension which views things in their connection with each other, and which, in attending to the great and splendid, does not overlook the little and the obscure; a sagacity which foresees every change which will be effected by the continued operation of the laws of nature, and by the intelligence

and volition, the activity, the vir- the promise and its fulfilment. tues and vices of men; a penetra-For the space of two hundred and tion and perspicuity of mind, fifteen years the children of Abracan instantaneously see ham, to whom the promise related, through the most crafty deception, were only one large family soand with a single touch, unravel journing in the land of Canaan, in the web of the most puzzling per- the midst of their enemies. The plexity; a wisdom which is never protection of heaven was necessary at a loss for means perfectly adapted to their preservation. When Levi to diverse, and even opposite and Simeon had treacherously ends; and the operation of all murdered the inhabitants of Shethese, at all times, and in all places, chem, nothing but the secret and without intermission, without con-powerful guardianship of him who fusion, and without end. It will has the hearts of all men in his not be denied, that these qualifica- hands, could have prevented the tions are necessary for the govern- Amorites from rising up and exment of the world, nor that they terminating them. After this event, are the attributes of the divine Jacob departed with his family nature. No understanding but the from Shechem, and went to Bethel. understanding of God can com- The language of Moses, which prehend the wide and extended describes the protection vouchplan of Providence, the parts of safed them, is remarkable." And which are disclosed as generations the terror of God," said he, "was pass away, and as centuries expire, upon the cities that were round and which ultimately loses itself in about them, and they did not the light of eternity: nor can any pursue after the sons of Jacob." power but His, give to that plan its The history of Joseph -- his dreams fulfilment, and exhibit the ideas of which provoked his brethren to the divine mind in the visible form sell him into Egypt-his unjust of real actions and events, and imprisonment the interpretation turn the hidden counsels of eternity of the dreams of two of his fellowinto the written histories of time. prisoners, and afterwards of that of Pharoah- the seven years of plenty followed by seven of famine

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As God alone is able to govern the world, so, it is certain from the scriptural exposition of events, Joseph's promotion, the preservthat it has always been governed ation of his father's family, and all by him. Prophane history is highly that succeeded, showed the coninstructive: yet the interpretation tinued interposition of heaven. It of it is attended with much diffi- is needless to refer to the miracles culty. Sacred history, on the other wrought by the hand of Moses, in hand, is explained throughout: it the myriads of flies, frogs, and is like a text accompanied with an locusts, which came at his bidding; expository comment: or, to change in the water turned to blood; the the illustration, it is the shifting thunder, lightning, and hail, and scenery, whose curtain is drawn supernatural darkness and light, aside, and gives us to see the hand which existed at the same hour in that moves the whole. Let us take different parts of Egypt; in the an example. God promised Abra- death of all the first-born among ham that his posterity should be- the Egyptians; in the division of come a great and powerful nation. the waters of the Red-Sea, and Four hundred and thirty years the overthrow of Pharoah and his elapsed between the delivery of host; because the most incredu

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